Gas-engine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(NovModel.)

H. H. HBNNEGIN. GAS ENGINE.

No. 545,502. *Y I Patented Sept. 3,1895'.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheen 2.

H. H. H'ENNEGIN.

GAS ENGINE.

150.545,502. 5 Patented Sept. 8,1895.

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H. H. HBNNBGIN. GAS ENGINE.

150.545,502. Patented sept. s, 1895.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 4.

H. H. HENNEGIN. f

GAS ENGINE. No. 545,502. Patented Sept. 3, 1895.

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H. H. HENNEGIN.

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. GAS ENGINE.'

N0.545,5o2. y Patented sept. 3,1895.

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Uerrrnn raras HERBERT II. HENNEGIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 545,502, dated September3, 1895.

Application tiled February 11,1895. Serial No. 537,988. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT H. HENNEGIN, a citizen of the 'UnitedStates, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, haveinlvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engines, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication,wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view, the near fly-wheel beingremoved. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical' sectional view. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal horizontal sectional View. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional viewon line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the valve which controlsthe admission of air and gas into the outer ends of the cylinders. Fig.6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the valves whenthe pistons are making their stroke to the right. Fig. 7 is a similarview illustrating the positions ot' the valves when the pistons aremaking their stroke to the left. Fig. 8 is a detailview of a form ofigniter.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in gas-engines,the objects being to construct an engine of the class described Awhichwill be simple, cheap, compact, light in weight, and powerful. To attainthese objects I construct a double cylinder-engine the pistons of whichare connected to a common rod. These pistons in their movement mix theair and gas and force itin advance of the opposing piston, where it isexploded. There'are two explosions at each revolution, and suitablemeans are provided for admitting air and gas at the proper time to themixing-chambers. y

My invention consists in the principles of operation and theconstruction involved in utilizing said .principles to accomplish thepurposes above set forth.

In the drawings, A indicates a central box or housing in the sides ofwhich are received boxes B, forming roller-bearings for shaft C, whichextends out on each side and has mounted thereon -liy-wheels D and D",the one balancing the other. A crank-pin is formed on the shaft withinthe housing, and has a bearingin a sliding block E, which is mounted ina cross-head F, to which the piston-rods 1 and 2 are secured. Secured tothe ends of -inner ends of the cylinders, respectively,

the housings by bolts G, which pass therethrough, are cylinders II andH', which are preferably formed with spaces h. and h for g thecirculation of water. c

I and I are the heads on the outer ends of the cylinders, and J and Jare heads on the which ylatter heads are preferably separate .6e fromthe housing.

3 and 4 are piston-heads on the rods l and 2,- which heads are providedwith means for igniting the compressed air and gases therebetween andthe heads I and I at their outstroke. This means is illustrated in Figs.l,

2, 3, and 4 as a spring 5 mounted on the pistons whichcontacts with aprojection 6 in the path of its travel. At the beginning of its instrokethe spring 5 leaves the point 6 and 7o forms an electric arc, whichignites the air and'gases, and the expansion thereof forces the pistoninwardly. Contact 6 is insulated from the heads I and I', and forms oneterminal of a circuit. Any part of the enginecasings formsthe otherterminal, and the circuit is completed onlywhen one of the springs 5contacts with their respective points 6.

' In Fig. 8 I have illustrated another form ot' igniter,which I preferto use in some instances. 8o This igniter'consists of posts 7 and 7a,mounted in the heads I and-I and insulated therefrom. In the end of post7 I pivot an armuS, which is impelled by a spring 9 to norma y restuponktlre end of post 7a.. These pM and armform onel terminal of acircuit, the wire being led from post 7a. The casing in this, as in theother form of igni'ter, forms the other terminal. A projection l0 isprovided upon the piston-heads, which include in 9o its path the shortend of arm 8. A spring Il extends beyond said projection and includes inits path the long end of arm 8. When the piston is on its instroke, thespring Il first comes in contact with arm 8, completing the circuit.Then the projection 10 strikes the short end of the arm and immediatelythe long end of the arm leaves post 7a, forming the arc, which remainsuntil the projection leaves the arm. The advantages ot' this conloostruction over the other are: that there islittle waste current; the arcis formed shortly before the piston completes its stroke and remainsuntil the piston has started on its instroke, thus giving a longer timefor ignition, and the spring is removed from the arc and its resiliencyis not destroyed.

12 and 13 are exhaust-ports, which lead from the cylinders exhaustingthe spent air and gases when the pistons are forced inwardly,saidexhausts being closed when the piston is 1 'o'npr at the limit ofits outstroke.

Leading from the outer ends of the cylina ders are inlet-ports 14 and157 which are controlled by valves 16 and 17. These valves arespring-seated and are provided with stems 18,

(see Fig. 5,) which extend into a pocket 19.

A spring 2O surrounds this stem and exerts a tendency to normally seatthe valve. To occupy space so that the pressure of the fluid passingthrough this valve will not be greatly influenced, I arrange on the stemand within the spring a thick sleeve 21,which almost ena tirely lillssaid pocket, except for the space required for proper operation of thespring. On the opposite side of these valves 16 and .1 7 are formedspaces, into which lead pipes 22 and 23 and 24 and 25. The passagesthrough pipes 22 and 23 are controlled by inwardlyopening check-valves26 and 27, said pipes extending beyond said check-valves and beingabsolutely controlled by the air-intake valves 2S and 29. The stems ofthese air-intake a valves pass through their respective casings inwardlyand are connected to cross-heads 30,

which are mounted in suitable bearings 3l,

bolted to the housing A through the medium of squared shanks 32. On theinner ends of 5 these shanks are mounted rollers 33, which ride upona'sleeve 34, slidingly keyed to the shaft C. This sleeve is providedwith a radially-increased projection 35, which in the ordinary operationof the engine is in the path of n the rollers, and operates theair-intake valves to unseat them to admit air at the proper time, andwhen the pistons are in proper positions to receive it. Springs 36 arearranged to normally hold the rollers against the sleev9 34. Sleeve 34is provided witl/i/anfey/v fj r i groove in its outer/epd/wk/ larprojgtinuef" e i p G 1' f ne engine exceed that i i f "'j i; was setthrough the adjustability ot' the governor-spring, the governonarms 36 5v by centrifugal force will overcome the resistance of the spring andthe right-angular projections on the arms will slide the sleeve alongthe shaft C, removing the radial projection thereon from the path of therollers. When a this occurs, the air-intake valves are not operated, andair not being admitted to the inner end of either cylinder will tend toretard. the speed by the creation of a partial vac num or rarefying theair. As soon as the centrifugal force of the governor-arms relaxes andis overcome by the tension of the spring,

the projecting face 35 is forced under the rollers and the air-intakevalves are again operated.

Connected to the cross-heads 30 and mov-l ing therewith are plungers 39,which normally rest to one side of gas-inlets and 41, which lead into achamber in which the plu ngers operate. Pressure causes the gas toconstantly lill these chambers, and when the cross heads are actuatedthe plungers move out.- wardly, closing the gas-inlets and forcing thegas before them against a yielding plug 42, which closes the gas-openingin pipes 22 and 23. Inthismannerthefluid,inwhateverform it might be, isforced into pipe 22 or 23 only when its respective air-intake valve isunseated. This results in a great saving of fuel and prevents theaccumulation of fuel in these pipes, as the supply can be so regulatedby the adjustable connections of the plungers to the cross-heads thatonly enough gas to support a charge is admitted at one time. It will beunderstood that'the connection between the plungers and cross-heads canbe so arranged that the cross-heads will have a play on the plungers ineach direction before actuation.

, Pipes 24 and 25 lead from the inner ends of the cylinders to pointsbetween the valves 16 and 17 and 26 and 27.

The operation is as follows: W'e will assume that the pistons are justcommencing a stroke to the right, referring more particularly to Fig. 6.The spent air and gases in front of pistonhead 4 have been exhaustedthrough 13, and this port is soon closed, beingcovered at an early stageby the advance movement of the piston. The explosion behind piston 3will close valve 16, and the air (and gases) in front of said pistonwill be forced through pipe 24 (check-valve 27 being closed) past valve17 and in front of advancing piston 4. In this manner the whole chargein fronilfof piston 3 is compressed in t r In this connection it mightat, in order to give more space sion, the outer ends of both sed. Theraised portion 35 alefthand roller, and air-in- ,raised from its seat,while nger forces a charge of gas into pipe 22.

`Piston 4, which we may consider a dead piston, draws, by suction, theair and gas through pipe 22, past check-valve 26, through pipe 25 andinto the piston-chamber behind piston 4. In passing through thesedifferent courses the air and gas becomes intimately mixed. Thecompressed air and gas in front of piston 4 is now ignited, it nowbecoming a live piston, and the operation of the parts is reversed-thatis, the spent air and gases in front of piston 3, now dead, areexhausted lthrough port 12. (See Fig. 7.) Valve 17 closes to preventescape of expanding air and gases behind piston 4. The air and gaseswhich were drawn in behind piston 4 in its outward movement are nowforced infront of the same, back through pipe 25,

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(valve 26 and intake-valve 28`being closed,) past valve 16, and in frontof outgoing piston 3, where they are compressed. The raised portion 35now operates the right-hand roller and air-intake valve 29 is raisedfrom its seat, while the plunger forces a charge of gas into pipe 23.Piston 3 draws, by suction, the air and gas through pipe 23, pastcheck-valve 27, through pipe 24, and into rthe pistonchamberbehindvpiston 3. In this manner the cycle of operations is repeated. I twill be noted that both pistons 3 and 4 approach closely to the heads Jand J', in order to leave as little air and gas therebetween aspossible.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangementof the parts of my device can be made. Therefore I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the exact arrangement or constructionof the parts as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In agas engine, the combination with 'two cylinders arranged inlinewith each other, of pistons operating in said cylinders, which pistousare connected to a colnmon rod, a crosshead arranged in the rod, aslide-block arranged in the cross-head, pipes which lead from the innerends of the cylinders to the outer ends of the opposite cylinders,checkvalves which control the openings of said pipes into the outer endsof the cylinders, branch pipes which lead` from the first mentionedpipes, inwardly opening check-valves arranged in the branch pipes,air-intake valves in the outer ends of the branch pipes, pumps forforcing the oil into the branch pipes, the pumps and the air intakevalves of each cylinder being operated together means for operating thepumps and air intake Valves, and a governor mounted on the 'engine shaftfor controlling said means; substantially as described.

2. In a gas engine, the combination with the shaft, of a cam sleeveslidingly arranged thereon, a governor for said sleeve, rollers whichbear against the cam surface of said sleeve, non-circular rods in whichsaid rollers are mounted, air intake valves arranged on the ends of therods, pump plungers which are adjnstably connected to the rods, andsprings for forcing the rollers against the cam-surface, whereby whenone air intake valve is open and the pump is forcing the oil in frontthereof, the other air intake valve is seated and its connected pump isreceiving a charge to be forced in front of its air-intake valve whenthe latter is unseated substantially as described.

3. In a gas engine, the combination with two cylinders arranged` in linewith each other, pistons operating in said cylinders, said pistous beingconnected to a common rod and said pistonsalso controlling the cylinderexhaust ports, valved connections between the ends of the cylinderswhereby the pistons compress the air and gases' for each other, anelectric terminal on the pistons, an electric terminal on each of thecylinder heads with which the-piston terminals alternately contact toform an arc to ignite the compressed charges, air intake valves and gaspumps which are operated from the shaft of the engine, and a governorfor controlling said valves and pumps; substantially as described.

4:. In a gas engine, the combination with the cylinder, and its piston,forming one terminal of an electric circuit, of posts mounted in thecylinder head and insulated therefrom, an arm pivoted in one of theposts and resting upon the other, said posts and pivoted arm forming theother ter-minal of an electric circuit, the wire being connected to thepost upon which the arm rests, and means on the moving piston tocomplete the circuit through the arm, and, raising it, form an arcbetween its end and the post upon which it rested, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a gas engine, the combination with the cylinder and its pistonforming one terminal of an electric circuit, of posts mounted in thecylinder head and insulated therefrom, an

arm pivoted in one of the posts and resting upon the other, said postsvand arm forming the other terminal of an electric circuit, the wirebeing connected to the post upon which the arm rests, a spring on thepiston for/contacting with the arm to complete the circuit, and aprojection on the piston for contacting with the arm to raise its endfrom the post upon which it rested, to form an arc, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a gas engine, the combination with a check-valve, of an openpocket for receiving the stem, a spring in the pocket, which surroundsthe'stem and exerts a tendency to seat the valve, the diameter of saidstem being increased or provided with a sleeve which entirely lls thespace within the coils of the spring, substantially as described.

7. In a gas engine, the combination with the casing and the drivingshaft, of a cam surface arranged on the driving shaft, a squared shankmounted in bearing on the casing, a roller mounted on the shank, a valvestem proja.` ing from the cross head, an air intake valve on said stem,a plunger adjustably mounted on the cross-head, a gas opening arrangedin advance of the travel of said plunger, and a yielding plug forconfining the gas in front of the plunger, which plug is unseated topermit the escape of the gas when the plunger is actuated, substantiallyas described.

8. In a gas engine, the combination with two cylinders arranged in linewith each other, of pistons within said cylinders which are connected toa common rod, a cross -head ar ranged in the rod, a sliding blockarranged in the cross-head, valved connections between ICO IIS

the ends of the cylinders, and a governed ends of the cylinders` andmeans located on sleeve which controls the air intake Valves the shaftfor controlling the air intake Valves and gas pumps; substantially asdescribed. and gas pumps; substantially as described.

9. Inagas engine, the combination with two In testimony whereof Ihereunto alix myV I5 5 cylinders arranged in line with each other,signature, in presence ot' two witnesses, this pistons operating in saidcylinders which con 2d day of February, 1895.

trol their own exhaust valved connections f v between the ends of thecylinders whereby HERBERF H' HENNEGIN the pistons compress the air andgases in ad- Vitnesses:

Io Vance of each other, means for exploding the F. R. CORNWALL,

compressed charges, connections between the HUGH K. WAGNER.

